Christmas observances among the many Christian denominations vary. Yet everyone goes to religious services on Christmas Eve or Day. Iraqi Christians also celebrate the holiday by sharing a sumptuous dinner with family members and friends. Moreover, they exchange gifts said to come from the Iraqi gift bringer, Baba Noel—an adaptation of Father Christmas or Santa Claus. Offering holiday hospitality to friends and neighbors is an Iraqi Christmas tradition. In the capital city of Baghdad, people visit one another’s homes in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, giving and receiving lavish welcomes. In the countryside village residents may sit down together to a communal Christmas meal, often featuring roast lamb.
Many Iraqis celebrate Christmas by putting up a Christmas tree in their home. This custom is not limited to Christians, however. Many Muslims, too, have embraced this tradition as a means of enjoying a bit of holiday fun and as a way of decorating their home for the new year.
-Karen Rangel Gines
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